We take this opportunity to compliment Ukraine on its recent work on developing and adopting much needed amendments to the antidiscrimination legislation in May 2014 and development of several positive steps in regards to Minority rights, Especially adoption of Roma Protection and Integration Strategy and Action Plan for it.

Each year on June 20th the World Refugee Day is celebrated worldwide. This has become a tradition since 2001, when this date was officially approved by the UN General Assembly. However, in the recent history of Ukraine the problems of those forced to leave their homes and flee to safer places have never been as urgent as in 2014. These issues were the central subject of the press conference "Refugees in Ukraine: problems and challenges" held on June 20th in the news agency "Interfax-Ukraine" in Kyiv. The event, organized by the Coalition for Combating Discrimination in Ukraine and the Centre for Information on Human Rights, with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation and the European Commission, was attended by representatives of civil society organizations and initiatives, including the representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.

Presentation by Mr. Maksym Butkevych at the Frontline Defenders event at the UN Human Rights Council (10 March 2014)

When this event has been planned, and I've been honored to be invited to speak – the situation in my country, Ukraine, has already attracted attention of the international audience. Since then, however, the situation has significantly changed. Ukrainians went through not only massive civic protests, violent street confrontation, killing of those who fought for their rights and freedoms, collapse of the previous regime, - but also through first steps of building new, more democratic country, and foreign military invasion.

In the current situation that has prevailed by March 5th, 2014 the No Borders Project from the NGO " Social Action Center" has to report the following:

We strongly condemn the Russian military intervention in the territory of Ukraineas well as the attempts to exploit the current situationby certain groups and their collaborators. We remind that these actions violate international law and we believe that responsibility for what is going on is entirely on those who decided to aggression, primarily, on the political leaders of the Russian Federation and on those who supported this decision.

We thank the activists, public figures and everyone who speaks and acts against war and aggression in Ukraine, in Russia and in other countries. Often this decent pitch demands courage and you have shown the world that you act with dignity and courage.

Political crisis caused by the confrontation of authorities based on violence and repressive apparatus, and the active part of society, which appeared on the streets by the end of January, reached its climax. Today collision that occurred on December 1 in Bankova Str. is remembered almost as entertaining walk.

The story of this interview is different from how interviews are usually recorded. The person answering the questions is in the place not very accessible for journalists – Lefortovo Moscow Pretrial Detention Facility that is still known as RF FSB SIZO (RF FSB SIZO - pre-trial detention facility of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation – transl.).

Lefortovo is the prison that has both special detention conditions and special security measures.

Minority Rights Group Europe (MRG) and the Eastern Partnership Minorities Network condemn the recently reported physical attack against the Crimean Tatar activist, Nadir Bekirov which prevented him from attending the UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in New York this week. The attack which took place last Thursday, appears to be clearly politically motivated and follows a pattern of ongoing intimidation and threats against indigenous and minority activists and leaders since the occupation of Crimea in March 2014.

Presentation by Mr. Maksym Butkevych at the Frontline Defenders event at the UN Human Rights Council (10 March 2014)

When this event has been planned, and I've been honored to be invited to speak – the situation in my country, Ukraine, has already attracted attention of the international audience. Since then, however, the situation has significantly changed. Ukrainians went through not only massive civic protests, violent street confrontation, killing of those who fought for their rights and freedoms, collapse of the previous regime, - but also through first steps of building new, more democratic country, and foreign military invasion.

Political crisis caused by the confrontation of authorities based on violence and repressive apparatus, and the active part of society, which appeared on the streets by the end of January, reached its climax. Today collision that occurred on December 1 in Bankova Str. is remembered almost as entertaining walk.